Cape Town: Waratahs coach Michael Cheika says Australia is shaking off its "poor cousin" tag in Super Rugby with a more aggressive shop front in the tri-nations tournament.

As the Waratahs savoured their first win in Cape Town since 2006 to join the Brumbies and Force in the top six, Cheika said Australian teams were finally playing as if they really wanted to compete in the southern hemisphere competition.

"I like what I've seen from the teams so far this year – [they are] more hungry to be involved in the contest," he said.

"We've probably been the poor cousin of the SANZAR triumvirate for a while and it's about time we started to get into it a little bit more.

Advertisement

"That's not to say that we're going to win but at least make ourselves present and say 'we're going to have a go here' and get stuck in.

"It will be seen at the end of the season and who is in the finals but so far it's quite competitive."

The Waratahs joined the Crusaders at the weekend to become the only teams so far this season to win after making the trip across the Indian Ocean to either South Africa or New Zealand and Australia.

Their 22-11 win against the beleaguered Stormers was an impressive response to last week's brutal loss to the Sharks in Durban. It also puts them on an equal footing with the Brumbies at the top of the Australian conference.

Cheika was pleased but realistic about the significance of the away win.

"In a season where it seems the ledger of home-and-away wins is going to be quite important, any away win you get is going to be quite valuable," he said.

"To be fair to the Stormers, I think we got them at just the right time. They've come back from a long tour, they're missing several key players and we were a week into our three weeks so we were all feeling sharp.

"So I think we have to be realistic around that too, but we took advantage of the situation, put them under a bit of pressure and were able to come away with something."

The price of victory will be known in coming days, with four players in doubt for the side's derby clash with the Force.

Most serious of the injuries appeared to be a possible ankle injury to winger Peter Betham.

Winger Alofa Alofa bruised a knee but was considered a less serious prospect than his wing partner Betham.

Matt Carraro was taken off with a deep cut to the side of his head, which will be monitored. And prop Sekope Kepu had to have an ankle strapped for the match. It was not immediately clear how serious the injury was.

The Waratahs will welcome back Israel Folau and Wycliff Palu from injury, as well as Rob Horne, who served a one-week suspension.

Folau's return will not come a moment too soon in light of the momentum gathering behind the Western Force.

But the Waratahs’ attack was as pleasing in its patience without Folau as it was in its brilliance with him.

"Without going too far away from our attacking game, which I don't think we did, one of the big things we wanted to do was build pressure," Cheika said.

"We knew the Stormers were under a little bit of pressure so [we were] trying to build a bit of pressure around keeping the ball in that part of the field instead of going for that one extra pass that we're guilty of sometimes at scrum and at line-out.

"[We wanted to show] empathy for the situation on the field [and] try to manoeuvre that in our favour."

11 comments so far

They did ok and clearly it's hard to win in SA, but it was v the Stormers and tougher challengesawait.

Commenter

Splinters

Date and time

April 07, 2014, 5:27AM

You hit the nail on the head, Splinters. The Stormers are not having a good year and currently sit 15th on the combined ladder, having lost consistently leading up to the Tah's game. It may have been a SA home match ... but it's still the Stormers. I'd encourage Cheika to make the most of the win ... but he needs to temper it with a touch of reality lest we get back to "This is the year of the Waratahs and we are true finalist contenders" only to find themselves again disappointing their fan base and bombing over the next 11 games.

Commenter

Bob

Location

Sydney

Date and time

April 07, 2014, 9:35AM

The Tahs will find it pretty tough against the Force. As far as Australian teams go the weekend highlighted some important points. Pat McCabe is a terrific determined player but still can't kick or pass like Toomua, Tapuai or Godwin. Running thru the soft butter Blues 10 is not a flock of swallows. Pat McCabe back at 12 for the Wallabies would be a disaster for Australian rugby, as it was when that genius kiwi Deans had him there. It would again signal to all Australian 12's, hey look you don't have to learn to kick or pass to get in to the Wallabies backline. Another populist favourite of lightweight commentators, Ben Alexander, was monstered by aging All Black prop Tony Woodcock. Comical really. Selecting Alexander for the Wallabies would also be a disaster for Australian rugby because it would signal to all Australian tighthead props hey look, you don't have to learn to scrummage or hit rucks to be a Wallaby prop. Sekope Kepu is the next big thing as he showed on the last tour but suffers from a lack of confidence and Cheika isn't helping because he prefers Paddy Ryan acting like a boofhead, like himself. Mind you the Force props showed real potential and made mincemeat of Greg Holmes from the Reds. Michael Foley's skills as a forwards coach really showing thru there. Send my chocolates care of Fairfax thanks Michael.As far as NZ goes, only the one tub of brylcream a day keeps the fashionistas at bay John Kirwan and his muppet assistant coach could make Benji Marshall look like the Blues best player. Unbridled genius. No wonder his assistant Grame Henry needed Craig Joubert help him avoid losing two unlosable world cups by one point.

Commenter

johnny-boy

Date and time

April 07, 2014, 8:13AM

How true re Joubert, the man wanted to get out alive. He is a better ref than that most days

Commenter

Exactly what I thought.....

Location

somewhere else

Date and time

April 07, 2014, 11:20PM

Beating a Injury struck, underpreforming stormers side does not make you title contenders -

Beating the brumbies,sharks and chiefs then your talking.

Already had a go at two of them and lost both.

Still long ways to go to be title contenders

Commenter

springbok87

Date and time

April 07, 2014, 9:00AM

You do realise he was talking about the Australian conference as a whole.

Commenter

Stephen

Location

Sydney

Date and time

April 07, 2014, 12:30PM

@ Stephen

You do realise that can be applied to the Austalian confrence as a whole

Commenter

rarule

Date and time

April 08, 2014, 7:55AM

@johnny-boy....- totally agree re Pat McCabe and Ben Alexander...both 1-dimensional in their respective trades. And both seriously lacking in the dimension they really need!- re. Kirwan et al....whatever. I'm lost by all your fancy words.

Otherwise, like most punters on these threads...I am just so happy to see the Tahs piggies ripping in (1) consistently, (2) with aggression, and (3) cohesively. If I get that each week, I am a very happy Tahs supporter. Thankyou Mr Cheika for establishing that blueprint.

Looking forward to the Force game this weekend...it is a big game for both. Probably bigger for the Force, who have been perennial underachievers to date. Agree with Cheika though...I want to see all Aus teams going gangbusters and playing to their potential.

Related Coverage

6 Apr
If the Waratahs showed against the Sharks last week the reasons why they cannot win the Super Rugby title, then against the Stormers they displayed why there is still hope. They have the capacity to learn from their mistakes.